Bread improver and method of making the same



Patented Apr. 3, 1934 Q BREAD IMlPROVER AND METHOD OF MAK- ING THE SAME Franklin B. Baker, Chicago, Ill.

No Drawing. Application February 10, 1930, Serial No. 427,434

3 Claims. (CI. 9910) This invention pertains to a new composition astase process which is equally well known. Inof matter used as a bread improver and to the stead of the lactic acid some other weak'organic method of making and using the same. acid may be used, such as acetic or citric acid. Among the objects of this invention are to It is desired to incorporate in a finished prod- 5 provide a bread improver which will shorten the uct a large amount of ammonia stored therein 0 fermenting period of a dough batch and provide in whatever form it will remain, but where a a finished loaf of greater cubical'content than small amount of hydrochloric acid is used to would be obtained without the use of this imlimit the conversion of the starch there is not prover and yet having a very desirable texture. enough free hydrochloric acid present at the end '1 A further object of this invention is to aid in of the conversion to unite with any large amount 65 thoroughly and uniformly distributing through of ammonia. Consequently, I add the weak orthe doughbatch the ingredients which bring ganic acid which will have very little converting about these results. efiect on the starch but will be capable of corn This new bread improver is made and used in bining a large amount of ammonia. Thus I am the following manner: A quantity of starch is enabled to incorporate in the dry bread improver 70 first converted into dextrine by means of heat a large amount of ammonia or the salts thereof and acid, the acid preferably being hydrochloric. without employing any more than the minimum A quantity of lactic acid is also added to the amounto'f hydrochloric acid. starch either at the time of adding the hydro- One example of the method of making the chloric acid or upon the completion of the condextrine is as follows: 1% pounds of a 28% solu- 75 version. With the starch converted to the detion of hydrochloric acid is sprayed into 1,000 sired extent and the lactic acid present therein, pounds of dry starch. The amount of hydroammonia gas is thereupon added until the acid chloric acid may be varied. The lactic acid ,is condition of the dextrine is substantially neupreferably mixed with the hydrochloric acid and tralized, leaving the dextrine in either a slightly added simultaneously. The amount of lactic so acid, neutral or slightly alkaline condition, as acid which is employed may also be varied. I may be desired. If the moisture content of the have used 12,250 cubic centimeters of a 50% product then requires it, the substance may then solution of lactic acid for a thousand pounds of be dried in any suitable manner as by the applistarch with good results. I have found that 30 cation of heat. The dextrine is then in a white, acetic acid or citric acid may be used in about 5 dry, powdery, non-hygroscopic state and may be the same amounts as lactic acid. After the acids added to a dough batch in any desired amount, have been added and thoroughly mixed with the such for example as five pounds to 196 pounds starch, the starch is then heated in a steam of flour. During the fermenting of the dough jacketed converter for to minutes with its batch the dextrose and maltose and some of the temperature gradually rising up to a maximum other starch derivatives in the dextrine are gradtemperature of 240 F. By this time the converually converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide. sion of the starch will have been carried sulfi- Also during the fermenting the ammonia gradciently far for the purpose of this invention and why becomes available as a food and stimulant there will be present in the finished dextrine be- 40 for the yeast, thus stimulating the yeast to tween three and, perhaps, fifteen per cent of dexgreater activity to thereby shorten the fermenttrose together with other partially converted ing period and to give as a final result a loaf of starch derivatives such as dextrin. The steam greater size. Though the size of the loaf is inshould then be shut off and while the dextrine is creased it is found that the texture is uniformly still hot it is preferable to add the ammonia gas 45 porous and of good color. while agitating the dextrine to thoroughly dif- The manner of making the dextrine may be fuse the ammonia throughout the dextrine. Am- Varied in acc a h the p rence of the monia will be added until the acid condition of maker. Several of the factors in its manufacture the dextrine is substantially neutralized. The are variable, such for example as the temperadextrine is at that time a white dry non-hygro- 50 tures employed, duration of heating, amount of scopic powder which may be stored for long acid and moisture. Also instead of hydrochloric periods of time, without deterioration, without acid some other acid may be used which likediscoloration or without absorbing moisture and wise has the ability to convert the starch. Also becoming lumpy. instead of making the dextrine by the acid con- It is found that by using this product the 55 version process it may be made by the malt diamount of yeast which would otherwise have 1 by the sugars in the dextrine, hence the sugarsupplied in other manners may be diminished. Due to the stimulating action of the ammonia which is released during the fermenting period the acti ity of the yeast is greatly increased and the fermenting period may be greatly shortened. In commercial operations where the time factor is very important this reduction of the fermenting period is highly desirable.

As has been stated above the proportions of the ingredients employed in the composition of the bread improver are subject to variation in accordance with the judgment or taste of the baker. These and other-modifications are contemplated in this invention and are included within its scope.

The lactic acid which is incorporated in this composition and which is presumably freed during the fermenting period of the dough batch is itself a helpful factor in aiding the dough to ripen quicker, in assuring a more vigorous yeast fermentation andin preventing certain undesirable fermentation conditions such as give rise to ropy or stringy bread. The bread produced by this composition is invariably free from a ropy or stringy condition and is found to have a creamy crumb, a uniform grain and a uniform porous structure. a

The exact manner in which the ammonia is combined in the dextrine is not known. Various laboratory tests have been conducted to determine if the ammonia is present as ammonium lactate but from these tests I have not discovered that ammonium lactate was formed. What I do know is that the ammonia once incorporated in the dextrine in the manner described will remain there even though the product be stored for a long period of time and exposed to the atmosphere, hence the ammonia is available at any time for use in the dough batch as a yeast stimulant. The neutralization or approximate neutralization of the dextrine by means of the ammonia assures that the conversion of the dextrine will have been stopped, hence the character of the dextrine will not change during storage.

The combination of the sugars and modified starches in the dextrine, the lactic acid and the ammonia is found to be perfectly stable and tests reveal that the several ingredients thereof are uniformly distributed throughout the bread improver. Since this bread improver is a dry finely divided powder it is a simple matter to thoroughly mix it with the flour to be used in the dough batch and to thus obtain even distribution of the bread improver throughout the entire dough batch.

It should be understood that this invention is susceptible of embodiment in various modifications which will employ the principles 'of this invention and will still remain within the scope of the invention.

Having shown and described my invention, I claim:

1. A method of making a bread improver comprising forming a partially converted dextrinous starch derivative with the aid of a small quantity of a strong starch converting acid in the presence of a larger quantity of a non-starch converting weak organic acid without liquefying the product; adding ammonia thereto until the entireproductis substantially neutralized and drying the product.

2. A method of making a bread improver comprising admixing with dry starch a small quantity of hydrochloric acid and a larger quantity of a weak organic acid, heating the mixture until approximately fifteen percent thereof has been converted to dextrose without liquefying the product at any stage, thereafter neutralizing the converted mixture by means of ammonia gas, and finally drying the product and forming a white, dry non-hygroscopic powder.

3. A method of making a bread improver com prising thoroughly admixing starch, a solution containing a small quantity of hydrochloric acid and a considerably larger quantity of a weak organic acid, the latter acid being incapable of having any substantial converting effect upon the starch, converting the product so formed short of liquefying it and to use up substantially all of the hydrochloric, acid, thereafter neutralizing the starch conversion product with ammonia gas, and drying the product forming a dry non-hygroscopic powder.

) FRANKLIN B. BAKER. 

